Nubian Message, Oct. 20, 2022 — It's Getting Real

it's getting real

Tim Havens Correspondant

Letter from the editor

Hello readers, October has just flown by and I barely had a chance to catch the plane. I hope you’re keeping up in classes and getting enough sleep. If not, there are only eight weeks left. You got this!

This week Nubian Message is getting into the nitty-gritty. Our writers make commentary about Hurricanes Ian and Fiona and their larger socio-political implications. We tackle the mounting mental health crisis on college campuses. We also talk about the Lizzo flute scandal.

Things are getting real, y’all. Take a break from the chaos with Nubian Message.

Humble, grateful, blessed.

THIS ISSUE

MEDIA PAGE

The Pressure Is Getting Worser

MENTAL HEALTH

College Students Are Facing Mental Health Crisis

PUERTO RICO

Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico

Cover Photo By Hallie Walker Oct. 11, 2022 at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. Brown-Turner and Johnson spoke about the future of the NC State women's basketball team and how they plan to lead the team this season.

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Ezuma-Igwe

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The Fallout of Hurricane Ian

Nadia Hargett Correspondent

From late September to early October, Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc on western Cuba and the southeast region of the United States. It brought rain, flooding, heavy winds and dreary skies until it ceased. However, it left behind severe and dismal lasting effects.

The lasting effects of Hurricane Ian haven’t been fully assessed in regard to Cuba, but the damage has been estimated to surpass $1 billion. Fertile land has been damaged as a result of the flooding, and the banana and tobacco industries will suffer the most because of this. Many Cuban citizens who have been left destitute from the hurricane are struggling to receive aid, and Cuban infrastructure still has not fully recovered because of the costs of repair.

Regarding the southeast United States, Florida was impacted the most. In fact, Hurricane Ian was the deadliest hurricane to hit Florida since the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. The death toll in Florida is currently sitting at around 127, which is around 92% of the overall estimated death toll resulting from the hurricane. It’s been estimated that over 60% of these deaths were caused by drowning, which primarily resulted from the storm surge. Most of those who passed away were over the age of 65 and unable to evacuate, leaving them vulnerable to the danger brought by the hurricane.

Hurricane Ian heavily impacted agriculture in Florida as well, especially regarding citrus groves. The citrus industry is very important in Florida, with it being valued at over $6 billion yearly. The damage that’s been done to the citrus groves will cause a decrease in revenue and negatively impact Florida’s economy. According to the Department of Agriculture, the orange fruit forecast for 2022-23 puts production at around 1.26 million tons which is a 32% decrease from the previous year. Not only that, but damage dealt by the hurricane wasn’t accounted for when calculations were made, meaning the percentage decrease is likely much higher.

Florida’s ongoing housing crisis has been strained by Hurricane Ian, many people’s homes were severely damaged or completely destroyed by the hurricane This especially impacted those who reside in

mobile homes, many of these communities were completely wiped out in some parts of Florida. Newly homeless families have been forced to compete for the low amount of affordable housing available.

However, according to Anne Ray, a researcher at the University of Florida's Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, Florida has a strong affordable housing trust fund that can be used to rebuild communities,provide affordable homes and rental units in communities that have been heavily affected by natural disasters. Ray also argues that Florida needs to make efforts in building housing that is more durable in the face of storm risks.

A heavy emotional toll has been brought onto Florida’s residents as a result of all of these occurrences. Many of them are struggling to recover from the damage caused by the hurricane. Those who have lost their loved ones are still reeling from their grief. Those who have lost their homes are still picking up the pieces.

Alice Pujols, a Floridian resident whose home was destroyed by the storm, said, “I'm trying to make it to the next day. That’s

all I can do.” She and her four children were left without a home and many of their belongings. The hurricane forced them to scour through discarded clothing, toys and other items to try to replace what they lost.

The grief from losing one’s home is very real, especially for those with low income. Two men in their 70s even committed suicide after seeing what Hurricane Ian had done to their homes. Florida has been setting up crisis centers and mental health service facilities to assist those who have been suffering from mental health issues due to the trauma of the storm.

Other states like North Carolina and South Carolina were impacted as well. In North Carolina, the storm claimed an estimated 5 lives and left over 76,000 people without power, with over 65,000 of those being in Wake County. Many students were told to stay home from classes to avoid the adverse effects of the storm. In South Carolina, there have been no confirmed deaths, but over 210,000 people lost power and winds reached speeds around 85 mph.

Because the hurricane had been downgraded to a tropical storm, it wasn’t nearly as detrimental to North and South Carolina as it was to Cuba and Florida. However, there has still been some relief provided for the victims in these states. The IRS has extended tax deadlines for the victims until February 15, 2023, and direct federal assistance has been provided under FEMA.

Estimates for the total cost of damage repair from the storm vary across different sources. CoreLogic, an Irvine CA-based corporation specializing in financial and property analytics, estimates that potential insured losses could range between $28-47 billion. A data firm called Enki Research has placed the cost at approximately $87 billion. Another firm specializing in risk modeling, Verisk, estimated that the cost of the damage would be around $42-57 billion.

These cost estimates only include damage done by flooding and winds, and would likely increase based on the economic impact that the storm has had on businesses. Big sources of tourism revenue for Florida, such as Disneyland, were closed for days because of Hurricane Ian, and likely lost thousands of dollars during this time.

Hurricane Ian’s ferocity and strength has shed light on the social issue of climate change. Many have been using Hurricane Ian as evidence of how climate change is impacting the intensity of natural disasters. Biden even claims that Hurricane Ian , “ends the climate change discussion.” Those who believe this are also using this as justification for why infrastructure needs to be built with natural disasters in mind. A lot of infrastructures have proved to be weak in the face of strong storms like Ian, which is why it often costs millions or even billions of dollars to deal with the damages.

Climate activists also believe that strong storms like this are more than enough reason to crack down on the usage of fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions. For years climate scientists have explained that global warming will likely increase the intensity of storms. Government officials of various countries are moving more funding towards slowing down climate change in an attempt to avoid more severe natural disasters in the future.

Image From Creative Commons

Multicultural Student Affairs graduate assistant Roma Bustillos marches during the Pride Walk on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 around campus. The GLBT center hosted the second annual pride walk to celebrate the history behind Pride as well as identity and strength.

A page displayes caricature sketches on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh. The fair featured everything from livestock and vendors to rides and art.

the pressure is getting worser

Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner laughs at one of head coach Kevin Keatts jokes during an interview on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 at the ACC Tipoff at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. The ACC Tipoff is an event that spans two days to promote the upcoming women and men's basketball seasons.

Graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore speaks to the crowd at the BEAT Florida State Pep Rally on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2022 at Wolf Plaza. Moore encouraged students to attend the upcoming game against the Seminoles.

Jermaine Hudson/Staff Photographer

Emily Peedin/Staff Photographer

Emily Peedin/Staff Photographer

Hallie Walker/Staff Photographer

Red, White, Black, and Blue

I can’t do it all, but I am supposed to

flutegate

course there would be safety precautions for her concert. One would think Lizzo stole it from the library based off of the upset people online.

School. Homework. Job. Sleep. This is the daily routine that most college students are stuck in. As a college student, I am expected to stay on top of my schoolwork, have a job, find an internship for the summer, go to all of my classes, take care of my mental health and find time for self care. There are only 24 hours in a day, it is quite impossible for me to complete all these tasks, yet like other college students I do. So, how do most college students complete all of these tasks? We work ourselves to our breaking points and sacrifice our mental health.

superheroes. I know I definitely am not Batman. I am just Jeanine. I just want a good life.

Jeanine Anjola Ikekhua Correspondent

College students should not have to sacrifice their mental health to be successful. The fact that the majority of college students are sacrificing their mental health to be successful is ridiculous. I know this because I see it. When I speak to other college students, I always hear them say “I got less than 5 hours of sleep but I am okay.” But it is like they are lying! They are not okay, but of course college students are going to say they are. It is normal for college students to be overworked. There are literally overworked and sleep deprived students all over NC State. I am one of these students.

It is interesting how people's biases manifest themselves. You may have seen this trend on social media where once Black people are involved, nonblack people suddenly become experts on random topics. The debates sparked by House of Dragon and the live Action Little Mermaid are examples of this. Recently the target for this outrage was Lizzo and a flute that most people had no knowledge of.

For those who cannot think critically, do not fear! The Library of Congress released a press release after Lizzo’s visit. In this release they state “Before Lizzo arrived, the Library’s curators in the Music Division made sure that it could be played safely and without damage. This sort of thing is not as unusual as it might sound. Many of the Library’s priceless instruments are played every now and again”.

The majority of college students come to college because they want to succeed. College students want jobs, I know I do. I came to college because I knew bagging that degree would increase my chances of getting a job. We live in a society that expects college students to do everything and be the best at everything.

The Light Program says one of the causes of mental health issues in college students is the pressure to succeed. The definition of success is constantly expanding. As years go by, college students are required to do more to be successful. A successful college student does not just get an A, they also have an internship and are actively involved on campus. Currently, I am involved in 6 organizations on campus. I absolutely love my organizations, but the reality is one of my motivating factors behind joining these clubs is I know these organizations will contribute to my success in the future. As a college student, I don’t want to fail. I don’t have time for failure. Therefore, like other college students I am burning out.

An American Psychological Association’s Stress in America study found that “ 87% of students said their education was a significant source of stress and stress is often linked to burn out.” Students are facing burnout because they are stressed. Combine this stress with a lack of sleep and you have a mental health crisis. We are literally in a mental health crisis because college students are being forced to do everything. College students are not

Columbia psychiatry states that sleep deprivation leads to anxiety and depression. So, sleep deprived college students are far from okay. And it is only worse for students of color. But let's be honest, when is it not?

Students of color are more likely to feel the pressure to be succsseful. College is a set up. College students pay money just to get mental health issues in return. These are the same mental health issues that college students will deal with after college. The whole thing is a BIG set up. Regardless, we are here and it is what it is. We will get through it.

On Friday, Sept. 24, the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, tweeted out a picture of the Library of Congress's flute collection; Hayden directly invited Lizzo to view and play their flutes in the caption. Lizzo is classically trained to play the flute. She studied music in university and before dropping out her goal was to play the flute as a career.

Lizzo’s invitation was not some random marketing strategy to get the Library of Congress mainstream attention. Don’t get me wrong, the visit definitely had the intent to gain attention, but Lizzo was such a great choice of musician. Lizzo is an incredibly popular artist with a fanbase consisting of people who the Library of Congress has overlooked in the past. This overlooked fanbase consists of young black women. The Library of Congress having Lizzo could spark interest in anthropology, history and classical music amongst the younger generation. So, how and why are people viewing this as a bad thing?

Lizzo played instruments during her visit, but the one that caused a stir was former president James Madison’s crystal flute. After her visit, the Library of Congress loaned out Madison's flute for Lizzo to play at her Sept. 28 concert. Her initial visit already sparked some upset comments, but the concert caused outrage. The main reasons people claimed to be upset were that Lizzo could have damaged the flute and it was disrespectful to the former president.

The claim that Lizzo would have damaged the instrument can be easily disproved with critical thinking. If the instruments have a high risk of being damaged, why would people who specialize in preserving them allow her to play them? Also the flute she played is a part of a government collection, so of

They also spoke about the safety of the instrument in regards to the concert “So when Lizzo asked if she could play the flute at her Tuesday concert in front of thousands of fans, the Library's collection, preservation and security teams were up to the challenge. When an item this valuable leaves any museum or library, for loan or display in an exhibition, preservation and security are the priorities. At the Library, curators ensure that the item can be transported in a customized protective container and a Library curator and security officer are always guarding the item until it is secured once more.”

The second reason people were mad can’t really be disproved, as it is subjective. Was James Madison’s legacy disrespected? In my opinion, of course it wasn’t. Firstly, the Madison fanboys who seemed to come out of nowhere should be thanking Lizzo, because this is the most I’ve heard of the former president since Hamilton released. Secondly, is Madison known as a flute connoisseur? Out of all the information we have about Madison, his flute playing is pretty low on the notability list. If anything Lizzo strengthened his legacy by humanizing him and bringing his flute back into the public eye. Instead of “James Madison, slave owning 4th president who played a part in the constitution” he’s now “James Madison, slave owning 4th president who played a part in the constitution who also had a cool flute.”

I think most people were actually mad at Lizzo because she is not a traditional looking classical musician. She is a plus sized Black woman who was having fun. Having Lizzo be a representative of a field dominated by white men set people off. Factoring in it being an ex-president's flute, I’m not shocked people were mad. I find it sad that people let their biases ruin something that created interest around Classical music.

Milan Hall Staff Writer

“ When I speak to other college students, I always hear them say “I got less than 5 hours of sleep but I am okay.” But it is like they are lying! They are not okay, but of course college students are going to say they are. ”

Power, Politics & Puerto Rico

On Sept. 18, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico. The storm brought over 30 inches of rain to parts of the island. Fiona triggered flooding and persisting islandwide blackouts.

JAz Bryant Editor-in-Chief

Puerto Rico has had fragile energy infrastructure for quite some time. However, it became prevalent after the landfall of Hurricane Maria. The Category 4 hurricane that struck the island in 2017 and caused a blackout that lasted for 328 days.

There were many contributing factors to the initial blackout. First, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, which is in charge of the energy grid on the island, declared bankruptcy early on in 2017. Additionally, Hurricane Maria knocked out transmission lines when it struck the island. Overall, the energy grid was outdated and in need of upgrades.

Following Hurricane Maria, the Trump Administration was slow to take action. It was not until 2020, three years later, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved $9.6 billion towards rebuilding Puerto Rico’s power grid. This was after the two largest power plants on the island were damaged by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake earlier that same year.

In contrast to Hurricane Maria, The Biden Administration’s response to Hurricane Fiona has been swift. Biden approved Puerto Rico’s Gov. Pedro Pierluisi’s request for an expedited major disaster declaration.

Nubian Message spoke with Valeria Gomez Perez, a second-year student majoring in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation. Perez is from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and was on the island when Hurricane Maria struck.

NUBIAN MESSAGE: Why do you think Puerto Rico has struggled to recover from Hurricane Maria? How do you think Hurricane Fiona will affect the island?

VALERIA GOMEZ PEREZ: I feel like it’s mainly an issue of infrastructure and this concept of…not being able to have the resources to fix the existing problems within the island. The reason why Hurricane Maria was so devastating was because…we have a power system that

is from [the] 1920s/1940s. So, what that means is the parts are really old, they’re bound to get damaged a lot quicker… they could not withstand 200 [mph] winds…You start seeing communities face…food insecurity…no ability to cook food, no ability to keep food refrigerated, it means no access to schools [and] no access to work…you are going to see the overall population struggle to do dayto-day things. When you add Puerto Rico’s inability to make effective political decisions quickly for themselves…[for example the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico] none of the officials are elected by Puerto Ricans…You have a people who are not able to have authority over themselves, make decisions for themselves [or be] able to allocate resources to the communities who need it the most.

NM: Have you ever been personally affected by the energy grid system on the island?

PEREZ: Yes…whenever the hurricane passed [through], the initial shock is insane. You go outside and you don’t recognize the surroundings. Like my

neighborhood was destroyed. [My family and I] took a lap around [the neighborhood] and my mom grew up in the neighborhood so she was absolutely devastated to see everything…In terms of the power grid, I was without power for six months and I know families that were [out of power] for like ten… People lost their houses, people lost their lives as well without access to insulin or generators… [my family and I] were able to have a generator and we also have a water collection system so…it was a dire situation but we were able to manage. My grandpa…at the time was bed-bound and [relied] on oxygen. So what that meant is that every few hours someone had to go… and switch with whoever was watching [my grandfather], take [the battery from] his oxygen tank home, charge it, replace it and do the same thing every two hours on shifts. That was obviously horrible for him…to be reduced to a shell of a person because you do not have access to the basic necessities you need in order to live… is ridiculous. More than anything it was a feeling of being abandoned, being let down, being cast aside and just desperation for change.

NM: What do you think of Puerto Rico’s relation to the United States? Do you think the relationship contributes to Puerto Rico’s response to the Hurricane?

PEREZ: In [Puerto Rico], there are a few ways people will go about the issue. Some people advocate for what we have now which is an incorporated territory…I call it essentially a colony. There’s people who advocate for statehood and being fully incorporated into the [United States]. There’s people who advocate for independence from the [United States]. I believe in independence because colonial relationships can never be fixed by just submitting to your oppressor. The [United States] has been exactly that. [There is] the Jones Act which has been limiting who Puerto Rico can trade for and limiting its economic development. You have the illegal national debt…you cannot loan out money knowing that people cannot repay it. Puerto Rico could not pay back that loan and it has not paid back that loan. You have Act 22…an act that gives tax cuts on capital gains [and more] to American investors moving into the island to ‘promote economic growth. What that is doing in practice is pushing people [out] because [Americans] keep buying real estate [which] pushes out local communities. [Foreign investors] are also buying up huge chunks of land to turn them into resorts. So you have a Hawaii situation where [Puerto Rico] is not [Puerto Rico] for the people. It is [Puerto Rico] the vacation spot. I don’t think any of that can be fixed by us becoming a state. Some people think becoming a state will give us more funding, but none of the people making these decisions are Puerto Ricans. How could they possibly know [what] to put this money into? How can we trust them when historically they have been pouring this money into their own pockets instead of where it needs to be?

Puerto Rico has a long history with the United States that has impacted the economy, culture and power. College of Natural Resources student, Valeria Gomez-Perez, shared her perspective on this relationship and its relation to energy on the island. For ways to help Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona, check out this article.

Image From Creative Commons